Attacking the Ivories
by ShadowRanger10
Summary: Father-daughter bonding was best done over a piano. Undyne's father learned that the hard way. The scorch marks in the kitchen said as much.


The little one was rambunctious.

He smiled. That was to be expected really. Just like her mother. It was clear from the start really: she'd been following her around, a miniature shadow, as soon as she'd learned to walk.

And she followed still. They were outside, sparring. The little one held the stick in her hands with reverence, their little soldier. The lessons were necessary really. Their home couldn't handle that little bundle of energy. Too many lamps, vases, dishes...breakables of all kinds...had already been sacrificed to the garbage dump. And it was good. It was safe. She spent time with her mother. It was very good. Still. A father can't help but want to spend time with his baby girl, can he?

The little one was a little less little now. She scared a ghost today. The youngest child of the Blook family that owns the snail farm nearby. It was almost funny really. It would have been funny, actually, if his bouncing, bubbly, little girl hadn't come home crying. She came shuffling through the door, walked right up to him, and turned her head up from the floor, looking up at him with bright, wet eyes. She hadn't meant to scare them. She just wanted to say hi, Mom told her she should be a good neighbor. She wanted to be their friend, but she had messed it up. He listened patiently, tried to keep his breaking heart from showing on his face. So young, his daughter, but already...She was strong for a ten year old. She'd convinced her mother to start training her for real a couple years back, and even though she still wasn't allowed to hold an actual spear, the results of the daily exercises showed. She was already starting to put on some muscle. And she was just so enthusiastic and eager and loud-so very loud-it was all just a little intense. What he means is just that-he can see it. He can see that people, a lot of people, are going to look at this child, kind, curious, and passionate as she is, and find only fear. It would always be their loss. He just wished it didn't hurt her too. For now, he held his daughter in his arms and told her everything would be ok. Blook is shy, they got scared easily, don't worry about it. She'd have a lifetime to get used to being scary. It didn't have to start today.

The litt-the young lady, she insisted on being called that now. Doesn't matter what she wants to be called, she'd made him so happy today. He still couldn't quite shake the excitement. Today was a great day. Today was an amazing day! Undyne came in, tired out from an especially demanding session with her mother (it had been, what? Two, three years since she was allowed to finally hold a spear?), and he was at his piano for the first time in years. There wasn't much use for music in the underground these days, hadn't been since the breakup heard round the tunnels. Such a shame, really. The royal couple had always been so good together. Anyway, he still missed playing sometimes. Today was one of those days. And so, he dusted off the old instrument and rediscover the sound. And then Undyne came in. And came over. And she listened. The little one actually stayed still long enough to really listen. He smiled and decided it was time to show off a little, show her what her father could do. He played the song he'd played the night he proposed to her mother. He had come up with it especially for the occasion. His first, and favorite, composition. It wasn't a particularly complicated piece of music, but it held a special place in his heart. It was honest, it was how he felt, it was the start of a new life, it was all he was, in a simple little song. Undyne stood in silence all the way through, but once the last notes of the song had faded away, she broke out that giant, lopsided grin of hers and asked if he could teach her. He couldn't accept fast enough. Today was the best day.

This wasn't going as smoothly as he expected it to. But really, he should have managed his expectations. His last attempt to come up with a father-daughter bonding activity had been...He shuddered involuntarily. Cooking. Best not to dwell on that. The kitchen had recovered! In time. And his wife forgave him for the uh extensive damage. Ok, she was getting there. Well on her way even. This wasn't nearly as...tragic. It's just that, well, trying to get Undyne to sit in one place for a prolonged period of time was like trying to freeze fire. Utterly impossible. Well, almost impossible. He had an idea he was quite proud of. Ok, maybe her mother had inspired it but it was just such an excellent idea. He talked her through the piano like a weapon, a battle, a war of ivory and ebony, the most beautiful of attacks. She perked up immediately. Maybe she wasn't quite as still as she should be, but she was interested. That's a good first step.

The battle was going well for her. If she kept it up, he might find he has quite the warrior in his hands. She wasn't a fan of anything slow or contemplative, though that could change given time. He enjoyed these moments. She still spent a good deal of the time outside with her mother, but the weekends were theirs now. His wife coached him on the fighting metaphors after watching bemusedly as he struggled to come up with anything remotely resembling strategy in the first few weeks. It payed off though. Not only was Undyne learning, but she'd been talking to him more too. He would make them tea after their sessions and she would tell him about her day. Her day seemed to involve a lot of time practicing with a moving training dummy. Wasn't that also one of the Blooks? Well, that's alright. They couldn't be hurt by physical attacks anyway, and she did say they'd agreed to it. He smiled over his cup as she excitedly recounted the details of their last match.

Undyne was at the piano again. She had improved a lot lately. Well into her teens now and she hadn't given up the piano. That was a victory. She alternated now, fighting and music. Had a strict schedule and everything. Spitfire she might be, but she was disciplined. Long gone were the days where, if she wasn't clinging to her mother, she was joined at the hip with old Gerson-he was always "old" Gerson, even though they were the same age-scouring the underground for hidden treasures. He liked to think the music had a hand in that. Her mother was happy with her too, so energetic and brave, her little shadow, all grown up. Today was a piano day. She said she wanted to play for someone. A new friend she'd met at the dump of all places. Well, she always was adept at finding treasure down there. Maybe she'd bring her by sometime, she certainly talked about her often enough. Oh well, she'll do it when she's ready. Until then, he enjoyed the music.

It was time. He knew it was coming. They were both boss monsters after all. She knew it too. She'd been uncharacteristically quiet for the past few months now. She must've noticed that age was taking its toll on them. He'd been playing more often now than he had in years. He was woefully out of practice though. Undyne sat beside him and helped him through more often than not. It made him happy. Really happy. Not so little anymore. She'd come a long way. He wasn't worried. She was strong. Her mother made sure of it. And she has Asgore now. He'd offered to train her a couple years back. It gave her focus, drive, an outlet for that fire inside. He wasn't worried. Her mother wasn't. She'd told him as much when she passed a couple weeks ago. They'd scattered the dust on her spear, which had remained untouched on the weapons rack for most of the year. They both knew he wouldn't be far behind. It's alright. He had time. He could still attack the ivories for the both of them.

Her father died smiling. She still wasn't sure how to feel about that. He died sitting at that piano. That was good, it's what he would've wanted, she thought. It still felt like a losing battle. When she scattered his ashes on the piano, she wondered if she'd be able to play again someday. That wasn't a serious question. It would shake her mother if it was. Man, what would Alphys think if she saw her moping like this? Of course she'd play again! She'd make enough music for all of them! If he took the music with him when he left, she'd just make more! SHE IS UNDYNE! Undyne, the hero. And a hero never gives up.


End file.
